Hey Conophytums....Do you know what time it is?

ooojen(z4MN)November 12, 2005

Both Conos and Lithops seem to operate on their own calendars around here.

Here are two bilobed Conophytes. The one on the left doesn't have its typical form just now as the little heads are all brand new. When mature, they make a mini version of the C. bilobum on the right. Thanks go to Calla Lady who picked up the C. bilobum for me at a sale out her way. That plant bloomed this summer, months ahead of it's little cohort, and you can see a seed capsule ripening in the head facing the camera. (It sort of appears as though one of the heads to the right is putting out new growth, but it's not; it's just camera angle on it & the head behind it.) --no new vegetative growth on this one for me yet.

The plant on the left has been around here a few years. I'm not sure whether it's another form of bilobum or a different species (if anyone here knows, I'd appreciate their sharing the info!) It's starting to pop out some flowers immediately on the heels of forming new leaves. The head on the far left still has its old leaf pr. as well as a bud. The one next to it is just starting to split.

Some Conophytums do flower much earlier than others, any time from late spring onwards here. One which does is C. frutescens, and it looks just like your right-hand plant. Flowers are normally pale orange, but can be yellow through to strong orange and even bicolours (might really be hybrid).

I don't know. I really can't tell all the species apart. It may be a different bilobe that flowers early, or it may be one of the non-bilobes that happens to look like a bilobe! Or maybe it just broke dormancy early this year, they often do that when they get a bit too much water.